EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your information (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistmes­sage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three to four weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE David, wife Rachel, Rose is the new pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Lake Charles. Jimmy Clark is the new pastor at Singer Baptist Church, Singer. Christian Vige is the new Music Minister at First Baptist Church, Baton Rouge. Lloyd and Ginger Bye retiring from Lake­side Baptist Church in Pineville. Come to their retirement party December 31, 2-4 p.m. at Lakeside Baptist Church, 120 Allen Street, Pineville, La. 71360. Allen, wife Christy, O’Kelley is the new pas­tor at Sugartown Baptist Church, Sugartown. Neil Everett has announced his retirement as pastor of First Baptist Church, Calhoun Phillip Boone has been called as the new pastor at First Baptist Church, Bunkie. Bob Holloway has announced his retire­ment from Watson Baptist Church, West Monroe. Alise, husband Stan, who is … [Read more...]

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Louisiana Christian University Dean of Nursing Tomekia Luckett will serve as the keynote speaker at the University of Southern Mississippi nurse practitioner awards and recognition ceremony, Dec. 7., in Hattiesburg, Miss. Luckett, a graduate of Southern Miss, was invited to speak by her former course instructors in the nurse practitioner program to deliver the speech. “I was honored to receive the invitation to speak as the University of Southern Mississippi is a prestigious university within Mississippi with a long history of nursing excellence,” Luckett said. “In the graduate program, of which I am a student, we are all nurses and have been diligent in our careers, which makes this an even greater honor. I have been in the classroom with everyone as a student and experienced my own unique set of challenges in balancing life, work and school.” In addition to her role as dean of the School of Nursing, Luckett is an author and empowerment speaker, and is active in state and national nursing organizations.   In October, Luckett was elected to serve as the director for organizational affairs by the Mississippi Board of Nursing. She also serves as a delegate for the American … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer HAMMOND, La. (LBM) – The Louisiana Baptist Convention, Northshore Baptist Association and Louisiana Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries have teamed up with the Psalm 139 Project to provide an ultrasound machine for women in crisis pregnancies. Leaders from all four ministries attended a Nov. 15 dedication for the ultrasound machine donated to the Restoration House Pregnancy Resource Center in Hammond, through the Psalm 139 Project, a pro-life ministry of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. Funds were given by the LBC, NBA and LBCHFM and forwarded to the Psalm 139 Project, which then coordinated the purchase and delivery of the machine, and in September provided the necessary training for the staff of the pregnancy resource center. Since 2004, the Psalm 139 Project has provided more than 80 ultrasound machines to pregnancy care centers across the country. The project provided an ultrasound machine in 2012 to the LBCHFM for use in a mobile pregnancy unit and in 2018 to the Baptist Community Health Services in New Orleans’ lower 9th Ward. Coleen Enmon, Restoration House board member and co-manager, said 25 women have used the … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – During the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Pastor’s Conference, Nov. 13, hosted by the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans, speakers offered words of encouragement and conviction to pastors. SERVE WITH JOY Leroy Fountain, a Louisiana Baptist church health strategist, spoke during the opening session from Acts 20:16-24 to urge the crowd to endure with joy. Fountain said as Christ followers strive to finish their races, they must remember there is a prize for those who compete, they must prepare for the spiritual battle and they must persevere. He encouraged pastors not to focus on the size or location of their church, but rather to work hard for Christ and the Kingdom. “God has placed you there and you should be faithful there,” he said. “If you really want to finish your race with joy, you must keep your eyes on the prize.” He challenged the pastors not to give up as they run the race and to remember what waits for them at the finish line. “The payoff of the race of faith is Heaven, it’s everlasting life and it’s everlasting joy,” he said. “But in order to get that everlasting joy, we must endure the challenges and the difficulties. We must … [Read more...]

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Baptist Message provides churches an opportunity to share with other Louisiana Baptists an upcoming revival, homecoming, new pastor, new staff member, a community outreach, or a concert in Louisiana Notables. To place your event in the paper, send your information (who, what, where, when, time) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. Please submit your information four weeks prior to the event to insure placement in the Message. ON THE MOVE David, wife Rachel, Rose is the new pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Lake Charles. Jimmy Clark is the new pastor at Singer Baptist Church, Singer. Christian Vige is the new Music Minister at First Baptist Church, Baton Rouge. Neil Everett has announced his retirement as pastor of First Baptist Church, Calhoun. Bob Holloway has announced his retirement from Watson Baptist Church, West Monroe. Alise Wyant, husband Stan, who is the pastor of Faith Baptist Church, Bastrop, will be serving as the ministry assistant for Northeast & Morehouse Baptist Association starting November 7. Caleb, wife Courtney, Adams called to serve as interim student minister at Trinity Baptist Church, Lake Charles. Brian, wife Jana, Watson is the new worship … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – On the heels of its 175th anniversary, Louisiana Baptists have an opportunity to unify and reach the state for Christ, Reggie Bridges said in his presidential address during the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meet­ing, Nov. 14, hosted by the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE “If we all look to Jesus, and if we all run the same way, there will be natural unity because we are look­ing to Jesus,” Bridges said. Drawing from Hebrews 12:1-2, Bridges, pastor of Temple Baptist Church, Ruston, said Christ fol­lowers must lay aside the weight of sin that entan­gles them, run with endur­ance and look unto Jesus. “There is going to be pain,” he said. “There is go­ing to be agony. But you’ve got to keep running. You and I have to give it all we have because the Christian life is not a 40-yard dash but a marathon.” Bridges said everything starts and ends with Jesus. “The hero of history has always been Jesus,” Bridges said. “He is the author and the perfecter. What He be­gins in us, He will finish in us. He will keep me until the day of His return. He will perfect His salvation in me. “I may fail,” he … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) - Louisiana Baptists enjoyed fellowship and worship during the 2023 LBC Annual meeting Nov. 14 at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, but also conducted important business. SBC EC REPORT Philip Robertson thanked messengers for their prayers as he serves as chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. He was elected to this position June 12. Robertson and the other EC members have dealt with, among other issues, how the SBC should respond to those sexual abuse survivors. “The past few years, as you well know, have not been the easiest for your you well know, have not been the easiest for your Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee,” said Robertson, also pastor of Philadelphia Baptist Church, with campuses in Alexandria and Deville. “In fact, it may have been the most tumultuous stretch that has faced the EC in its 106-year history. It seems almost at times that every slope is slippery. But we know as Hebrews Chapter 6 tells us, that we have this hope as an anchor of our souls, and that anchor is connected to the Rock of Ages, the Lord Jesus. So, God continues to certainly be very, very faithful. And I’m committed to do my part … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Messengers approved seven resolutions during the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting: advocating for parental rights and responsibilities; protecting children’s innocence; protecting the underaged from the harms of alcohol; celebrating the 175th anniversary of the LBC; expressing appreciation for all who contributed to the annual meeting; preventing mail-order abortifacients; and congratulating Congressman Mike Johnson for his election to speaker of the House. Brian Gunter, a messenger and pastor from First Baptist Church, Livingston, tried to substitute his resolution (on equal protection for preborn children) for the resolution on preventing mail-order abortifacients. Gunter’s proposed resolution included prosecution of all who perform abortion of an unborn child, including the mother. His resolution noted that “such equal protection would require a case-by-case determination and would not alter any existing presumption of innocence, defense, justification, immunity, or clemency, including that mothers would not be subject to criminal liability if under criminal duress, mistake of fact, or in a life-threatening medical emergency, or for an accidental or natural … [Read more...]